Written Reply to Parliamentary Question on Whether the Car in the 13 February 2021 Tanjong Pagar Accident Was Illegally Modified

Question:

Mr Derrick Goh: To ask the Minister for Home Affairs in the case of the Tanjong Pagar traffic accident on 13 February 2021 (a) whether the change of the car’s charge pipes from original to aftermarket parts is considered an illegal modification; and (b) given the extensive damage to the car that prevented a full mechanical inspection, whether there are efforts to trace the car’s workshop to fully assess if there were other modifications that could have been illegal.

Answer:

Mr K Shanmugam, Minister for Home Affairs and Minister for Law:

1.   The replacement of the car's charge pipes from those originally installed by the manufacturer, to aftermarket charge pipes, was not considered an illegal modification under the Land Transport Authority's regulations. This is because aftermarket charge pipes do not affect a vehicle's safety.

2.   As part of the investigation for that fatal accident, the Traffic Police had sent the car for mechanical inspection. The inspection did not detect any illegal modifications done to the car. Agencies therefore did not take further action in this regard.